EAST RUTHERFORD >> In his task of restoring order to the Giants’ proud franchise, Pat Shurmur says it’s about the players — not the plays.

That was a saying at Shurmur’s most recent coaching stops in Minnesota and Philadelphia, and if Friday was any indication, it will be one of the bedrocks of his tenure in New York.

Introduced as the 18th head coach in Giants history, Shurmur reiterated the importance of building a strong culture in order to eradicate the disciplinary problems that plagued the team’s 3-13 season in 2017.

“I have zero tolerance for people that don’t compete. I have zero tolerance for people that don’t give effort and I have zero tolerance for people that show a lack of respect,” Shurmur said. “And I think that’s something that you’ll know about me as we get to know each other better.

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“Some would say I’m a little serious. I get that. But I do think this is a serious business. It’s played and coached by adults. We just happen to do it with a young person’s enthusiasm, and I think that’s important.”

Shurmur, 52, says he feels “much more prepared” than his first head coaching stint with the Browns from 2011-12.

“I’m not intimidated,” Shurmur said of the New York media market. “The only thing that frightens me is anything that affects the health and welfare of my kids and family. Other than that, have at it. I’m ready to go.”

Here are the highlights of what Shurmur touched on Friday:

NEW DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Shurmur reportedly has more than half of his assistant coaching staff already assembled, including one of the two coordinator positions.

James Bettcher replaces Steve Spagnuolo as the Giants’ defensive coordinator after three seasons overseeing top-six defenses in Arizona.

Shurmur has yet to hire an offensive coordinator, but confirmed that he will call the plays next season.

“I’ve known James for a while, and I think he’s a rising star in the profession,” Shurmur said. “He’s a little bit multiple in his scheme, which I think is good. Everyone I’ve talked to, he inspires the player. He’s got a great presence, and we’re really, really fortunate to have him be with us.”

The Giants’ base defense will now likely feature a 3-4 front instead of a 4-3.

“I think all defenses play a version of (3-4) throughout the game,” Shurmur said. “Even teams that play five on the line, you know, they’re in nickel 60 percent of the time, so it’s a four‑man front. So the ability to be multiple in my opinion, as long as you can still remain fundamental, is something that’s hard on an offense, and I’ve faced that through the years.”

CONFIDENCE IN MANNING

Shurmur said he believes Eli Manning has “years left” in him, removing any remaining doubt of whether the two-time Super Bowl MVP will return to New York for a 15th season.

Shurmur said he has already spoken on the phone with Manning, who runs the Manning Passing Academy. Shurmur’s son, Kyle, a quarterback at Vanderbilt, attended the camp last summer.

“I watched Eli throw a little bit this summer, and I walked away saying, ‘He looked really, really good,’” Shurmur said. “He looked fit. He was throwing the ball well. The ball had good velocity coming off his hand.”

The Giants hold the No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft and still might draft another quarterback alongside Manning and Davis Webb, but there won’t be a position controversy in training camp.

“I think he has time left, and I look forward to working with him,” Shurmur said. “With regard to who we’re going to draft, you know, I’m not ducking that question. I think that we’ve got to travel down that road of evaluation to see what happens there. But I think what’s important is we have a guy here that’s helped this organization win Super Bowls. He’s an outstanding player.”

CLEAN SLATE WITH ODELL

The Giants must soon make an employment decision on Odell Beckham Jr., who is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Shurmur said he looks forward to sitting down with the superstar wide receiver, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5 and has had maturity issues early in his career.

“When you throw all the other stuff out and you watch him on the field, he’s outstanding. It makes sense to throw him the football,” Shurmur said. “But I think what needs to happen now is I need to get to know him. I need to get to know what makes him tick, and I get to talk to him about what it is that we’re looking for for a guy that plays for the New York Giants. And I think those are the things that go back to relationship building that need to happen very, very soon.”

“This is sort of a clean slate deal right now,” Shurmur said. “With all things Odell, we just need to start talking and find out why things happened, and if they’re not what is by our standards, then we’ve got to find a way to get him fixed.”